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At the change of seasons, it is a natural instinct to change your diet and lifestyle to be in sync with the season and weather. It is also a great time to eliminate the toxins that have been burdening your system, leaving you sluggish and fatigued. Make a clean sweep with the 5 step detox listed below.
Why You Need to Clean Your Body
Your body is naturally equipped with a self-cleaning process. But too much sugar, caffeine, processed foods, stress, and too little exercise can slow the body's natural detox function to a slow pace. And then your body can't clean itself when it is put up against the increasing number of harmful and toxic substances in the environment. Toxins come in many forms: pesticides in produce, formaldehyde in carpets and cosmetics, PCBs from plastic containers, dioxins from bleached paper products and more.
Your body will process and eliminate some of the hordes of chemicals that enter, but overflow gets stored in the liver, lungs, kidneys, fat cells, intestines, blood stream, and skin—which can result in chronic illnesses down the road. When you undergo a medically-managed or healthcare practitioner-provided detox, you get these toxins out of your system.
How Do You Know if You Need a Detox?
You know you're suffering from toxic overload if you are experiencing fatigue, memory decline, difficulty focusing, allergies and infections, irritability, anxiety and depression, difficulty with weight gain and weight loss, muscle and joint pain or weakness, skin rashes and outbreaks, recurrent yeast and fungal infections, constipation, diarrhea, abdominal bloating and indigestion.
Most people report vast improvement in their symptoms after a detox. At first, you may feel a little fuzzy because of the toxins being released. However, when you stick with it, you will begin to feel more alert, energized, and full of vitality. Again, it is highly recommended to work with a knowledgeable medical provider who can help you navigate the cleanse and detox process.
For those who want to do a gentle cleanse at home, I've provided some information to get you started.
At-Home Detox
Start small! Begin with a one-day program and gradually increase to one week if you desire. If you have severe symptoms, it is not recommended to detox at home, but rather see a medical provider who is knowledgeable in cleansing and detoxing.
Here are 5 steps to a daily detox that will gently cleanse your body:
1. Start the Day Off Right
First thing in the morning, add the juice from a quarter of a lemon to 10 ounces of room-temp filtered water. Lemon activates your liver to release toxins and helps to cleanse and move the roughage that's been hanging out in your intestines.
Take acidophilus or a probiotic supplement. Acidophilus is one of the many "good" bacteria known as "probiotics". Probiotics balance our intestinal functions, helping to break down food and control the "bad" bacteria that is also in your system—all of which optimizes the detoxification process.
2. Your Detox Meals
These meals are designed to jump-start your body into becoming healthier.
Breakfast: Eat oat bran cereal, brown rice, steel cut oats or any other whole grain cereal as long as it is unbleached, organic and does not contain any added sugar or chemicals. Pair with unflavored almond, nut or organic milk.
Lunch or Dinner: Eat any combination of beans, brown rice, oat bran, vegetables, and organic chicken, turkey, or fish. When you eat, notice how your food affects you. You should feel satisfied and energized. If you feel tired and sluggish, try eating smaller meals so that you don't overwhelm your digestion and interfere with the detoxification process.
3. Eat Green to Spring into Health
The green pigment in plants, chlorophyll, is structurally similar to the hemoglobin in the human body—the iron-containing element in blood. It increases red blood cell production and improves oxygenation, detoxification and circulation. Be sure to eat several servings of fresh green vegetables every day during your detox. Try this super-cleansing broth and juice as a quick way to up your veggie intake.
Detox Broth: Add as many of these ingredients as you can into a large pot of filtered water: collards, Swiss chard, kale, mustard greens, cabbage, dandelion, Brussels sprouts, watercress, seaweed, shitake mushrooms, cilantro, garlic, leeks, anise, fresh ginger, and turmeric. Boil until all ingredients are soft. You can make in a large batch and refrigerate for up to three days.
Detox Juice: Juice the following together: Aloe Vera (which can be found in most health food stores), apples, asparagus, beets (including greens), cabbage, carrot and carrot greens, celery, cucumbers and parsley. You can also purchase vegetable juice from the store, but be sure that it has no added salt or chemicals.
4. Supplement Your Detox
Take a daily supplement of 1 tablespoon of flax seed oil, walnut oil, krill oil or deep-sea fish oil.
Green Tea is a strong antioxidant and a great beverage choice for your detox. Be sure to drink decaffeinated green tea.
Dandelion and Milk Thistle both protect and restore the liver. According to Chinese Medicine, the liver is very active in the detoxification process.
Ginger is a bowel and kidney cleanser. Make yourself tea from fresh ginger root during your detox.
I provide an effective herbal formula for my patients undergoing an internal cleanse which is a special combination of natural herbs to detoxify, calm nerves, clear the mind, promote emotional balance and ease digestion.
5. Take an Invigorating Herbal Soak
Soak for 20 minutes in a revitalizing herbal bath. Help draw out toxins by infusing your bath water with eucalyptus, wintergreen, peppermint, fennel, cinnamon and Epsom salts. If you don't want to mix your own bath, there are several good products available that mix essential oils into the Epsom salt.
The time of season change may be the best time to cleanse your body, but you don't have to wait to start a cleanse or healthy eating. Detoxification and cleansing is a healthy maintenance program for all seasons.


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Basically, I am an extremely lazy person. This blog, for instance, did not get a first line until I completed Zombie Cricket three times. But that's nothing. Real laziness hurts. Sometimes I will sit absolutely still on a sofa for up to an hour, like a lizard baking on a rock, rather than go to the toilet. I will happily endure the growing-physical-discomfort-bordering-on-pain brought on by an unrelieved bladder just to spare myself the effort of getting up and shuffling even as far as the sink in the bathroom. That, my friends, is called willpower.
But despite my Herculean sloth, I still have much to learn from Women's and Family Minister Kristina Schröder. While I still pretend I am doing something when people are looking, Schröder this week published a whole book which brazenly explained why she hadn't done anything in the past three years in her job, and why she was glad.
Schröder's theses, laid out in Thanks, We're Emancipated Ourselves, argued that Germany does not need a Women's and Family Minister, because women and families don't need any new policies – things like more kindergarten places or a gender quota.
No, instead, the book argued, what they need is to be left alone, especially by feminists, who are always coming up with annoying gender roles that make women insecure.
From one lazy person to another, I can only indolently tip my hat to Schröder's inspiring dedication to absolute idleness. This book is the ultimate sick note. In fact, it's a moral sick note. If Angela Merkel calls and asks, "So, have you got any new policy ideas, Kristina? You know, about families or women and stuff?" Schröder can just point at the book, and say "That would be against my principles. Are you asking me to be a hypocrite?" Angie wouldn't have a leg to stand on.
Then Kristina would open her briefcase, which contains a sandwich, a Kit Kat, and a bumper Sudoko collection, and wait till dinner time, hopefully by when the nanny will have put her kid to bed.

subset: commoncrawl


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Penn Herb Wellness Guide
Yeast Infection
About This Condition
Yeast infections usually result from an overgrowth of a species of fungus called Candida albicans. They can occur on the skin, under nails or mucous membranes of the mouth, vagina, bronchi, and lungs.
Vaginal yeast infections are one of the most common reasons that women consult healthcare professionals.
Yeast infections are a type of vaginitis. The hallmark symptom of a yeast infection is itching of the external and internal genitalia, which is often associated with a white discharge that can be thick and/or curdy (like cottage cheese). Severe infections lead to inflammation of the tissue and subsequent redness, swelling, and even pinpoint bleeding.
Healthy Lifestyle Tips
According to one study, yeast infections are three times more common in women who wear nylon underwear or tights, than in those who wear cotton underwear.1 Additional predisposing factors for Candida infection include the use of antibiotics, oral contraceptives, or adrenal corticosteroids (such as prednisone).
Underlying health conditions that may predispose someone to Candida overgrowth include pregnancy, diabetes, and HIV infection. Allergies have also been reported to promote the development of recurrent yeast vaginitis. In a preliminary trial, when the allergens were avoided and the allergies treated, the chronic recurrent yeast infections frequently resolved.2 In most cases, sexual transmission does not play a role in yeast infection. However, in persistent cases, sexual transmission should be considered, and the sexual partner should be examined and treated.
Copyright 2024 TraceGains, Inc. All rights reserved.
Learn more about TraceGains, the company.
The information presented by TraceGains is for informational purposes only. It is based on scientific studies (human, animal, or in vitro), clinical experience, or traditional usage as cited in each article. The results reported may not necessarily occur in all individuals. Self-treatment is not recommended for life-threatening conditions that require medical treatment under a doctor's care. For many of the conditions discussed, treatment with prescription or over the counter medication is also available. Consult your doctor, practitioner, and/or pharmacist for any health problem and before using any supplements or before making any changes in prescribed medications. Information expires December 2024.


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Hi all! Back to business with a post about shorts. In the middle of Winter. But seriously, Striker Danger has done it again. I love their men's patterns, and when I got a couple pairs of my own, I couldn't believe the quality of the material. They're thick enough to get in an outdoor workout up North and breathable enough to wear on the beach down South. To test, I did both! From NY to CT to Miami, these shorts stood the test of weather and movement.
Not to mention the bomb designs. While everyone lost their minds over the "My Little Striker Danger" (My Little Pony) and Abominable Snowman shorts,I have personally been living in the Team Striker Danger star shorts. They're so comfortable that I have not worn regular pants in weeks.
Basically, these shorts are not only worth the money, but they'll eventually pay for themselves. They'll hold up in any tournament or workout, and I constantly get compliments on them, even if I'm just hanging around. Style and function? Double yes.
BUT WAIT! There's more! If you are purchasing a pair of these shorts, (and I don't know why you wouldn't, I just told you how awesome they are) at checkout, use the promo code "MonBro" to get 15% off of ladies shorts! Amazing deal, amazing shorts. What are you waiting for?!
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Thomas Joscelyn is a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD). He is the executive director of the Center for Law and Counterterrorism at FDD. He is also a frequent contributor to the Weekly Standard and the senior editor of The Long War Journal. Mr. Joscelyn is a terrorism expert and most of his research and writing has focused on how al Qaeda and its affiliates, as well as other international terrorist organizations, operate.
FPM: The British government has released seven paragraphs that summarize information received from the CIA concerning the treatment of Binyam Mohamed while he was in custody. Mohamed was a detainee in the "war on terror" and held at multiple locations, including Guantanamo Bay. Mohamed was released from Gitmo in 2009 by the Obama administration and has since become something of a celebrity in the UK. Mohamed claims he was tortured, especially during his time in Moroccan and Pakistani custody. The release of the aforementioned seven paragraphs has fueled a firestorm of controversy in the UK, as MI5 is accused of being complicit in Mohamed's abuse and "torture."
Mr. Joscelyn, who is Binyam Mohamed?
Joscelyn: Binyam Mohamed was recruited by al Qaeda a few months prior to the September 11 attacks. He traveled to Afghanistan in the summer of 2001 and was trained in al Qaeda's al Farouq training camp – the crown jewel of al Qaeda's pre-9⁄11 training infrastructure. Some of the 9⁄11 hijackers were trained there. After 9⁄11, Mohamed retreated to Pakistan along with senior al Qaeda members. He then became part of al Qaeda's post-9⁄11 plotting. Along with convicted terrorist Jose Padilla, Mohamed was set to take part in a plot against civilian targets inside the U.S. Padilla and Mohamed considered several plots, but had settled on an attack against a high-rise apartment building at the urging of senior al Qaeda terrorists, including September 11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed (KSM).
Padilla and Mohamed were not successful in their plot, of course, as they were separately arrested and detained.
FPM: How do we know that Mohamed was in fact an al Qaeda recruit?
Joscelyn: Well, there are good, publicly available sources that detail Mohamed's dossier. First, both Mohamed and his lawyer have conceded that he trained at al Qaeda's al Farouq camp in Afghanistan. That is a damning admission because not just anyone was trained at al Farouq. This should have been enough to hold Mohamed, as other al Qaeda recruits who were trained at al Farouq received lengthy prison sentences based on that fact alone. For example, some members of the Lackawanna Six were sentenced to a decade in prison principally because of their time training at al Farouq.
Second, Mohamed admitted to his personal representative at Gitmo that he "was taught to falsify documents, and received instruction from a senior al Qaeda operative on how to encode telephone numbers before passing them to another individual." This means that he admitted to working with at least one senior al Qaeda operative.
Third, the U.S. has in its custody a number of senior al Qaeda operatives who either trained Mohamed, or conspired with him. Jose Padilla, of course, would know what Mohamed was up to as well. Therefore, intelligence officials had the necessary witnesses in custody who could piece together the details of Mohamed's plotting. This intelligence may not have been admissible in court, because at least some of it was certainly "coerced," but that doesn't mean it was inaccurate. For example, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed (KSM), who directed Binyam Mohamed, was clearly coerced into giving up intelligence, but the information he provided led to the capture of numerous al Qaeda terrorists and stopped terrorist attacks. (See here, here, and here.) KSM was captured after Mohamed, but intelligence authorities certainly used him and other senior al Qaeda terrorists to piece together the details of Mohamed's role in their plotting once they were in custody.
You can read good summaries of this intelligence in the military's charge sheet for Mohamed as well as other documents produced at Guantanamo. And you can read my take on this intelligence here.
FPM: How did the U.S. first learn of Mohamed's plotting?
Joscelyn: Top al Qaeda terrorist Abu Zubaydah gave up both Padilla and Mohamed during questioning after Zubaydah was captured in March 2002. Zubaydah had plotted with the two of them while staying in al Qaeda safe houses in Pakistan and therefore knew them well.
FPM: Did Zubaydah give up Padilla and Mohamed before or after he was waterboarded by U.S. intelligence officials?
Joscelyn: Zubaydah was waterboarded after he told authorities about Padilla and Mohamed. But it isn't clear what other treatment Zubaydah had been subjected to at the time. There are reports that authorities used other techniques on Zubaydah. At a minimum we know that Zubaydah's interrogations and questioning occurred under unique circumstances, as he was shot multiple times and U.S. authorities had to save his life just to question him. (I described all of this here.)
FPM: Given all of this, why did the Obama administration transfer Binyam Mohamed to the UK in 2009?
Joscelyn: We can't say, exactly, because there is zero transparency when it comes to the Obama administration's transfer decisions. But we do know that the British government has lobbied for the return of its citizens and residents, including detainees who the entire U.S. national security establishment believes are terrorists, repeatedly. The Bush administration clearly acquiesced in other cases, and the Obama administration may have simply done the same with Binyam Mohamed.
FPM: The UK press has written numerous articles about Mohamed and his torture claims, but I haven't seen much written about his role in al Qaeda's post-9⁄11 plotting. Why is that?
Joscelyn: Mohamed and other former detainees, with the help of their lawyers, have been able to successfully frame the press's story in many instances. You will find that the detainees and their lawyers are frequently primary sources in the press's coverage. Meanwhile, the intelligence officials who were responsible for tracking down and interrogating al Qaeda agents like Mohamed are either busy doing their jobs or fearful of having their reputations dragged through the mud. The result is that the coverage is very lopsided. In addition, with some exceptions, journalists don't seem very interested in telling the story of how an al Qaeda attack was stopped after September 11. They are more interested in exposing the supposedly evil deeds of the UK and American governments, especially those committed by the Blair and Bush regimes.
FPM: That is remarkable though, isn't it? Here, an al Qaeda agent has been turned into something of a martyr and yet if he had his way he surely would have taken part in an attack killing untold numbers of civilians. But the global left, including organizations such as Amnesty International, have embraced al Qaeda operatives like Mohamed. Why is that?
Joscelyn: I think there are two dynamics in play here. First, you have those on the left who have legitimate, principled concerns about how far the American government and its allies go in questioning any detainees. There is legitimate room for debate in this regard. But there are those within this camp who take anything detainees say at face value without questioning it, and then assume the worst of the U.S. and its allies.
The problem here is that we know al Qaeda detainees, in particular, lie about their treatment. Much of what Binyam Mohamed has said about his treatment while in custody can't be verified. For example, Mohamed has claimed that his genitals were mutilated with a razor blade while he was in Moroccan custody. If that is true, then I think most of us would object to that, as it is not part of any disciplined interrogation regime. But we don't know that it is true at all and could simply be a lie. The Moroccans don't treat their detainees with kid gloves, but then again what Mohamed has claimed is beyond extreme.
The seven paragraphs that were released by the Brits apparently do not deal with Mohamed's time in Moroccan custody, but instead deal with much less severe techniques including sleep deprivation and being questioned while shackled. It is difficult to argue that the treatment described in the seven paragraphs amounted to "torture," even if one's moral or ethical sensibilities are offended.
Second, there are those on the left whose ideology is rooted in a crude anti-Americanism and so they are willing to ally themselves with anyone who is opposed to the United States government. Jamie Glazov, explained this phenomenon well in his book, United in Hate: The Left's Romance with Tyranny and Terror. Left-wing human rights organizations frequently cross the line between principled concerns about detainee treatment into advocacy on behalf of men whose principles those same organizations certainly do not share.
FPM: Tom Joscelyn, thank you for joining Frontpage Magazine.
Joscelyn: Thank you for having me.


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It was a perfect weekend in the south of Germany with clear blue skies and leaves falling from the trees as Steve arrived for a long weekend with the ladies and gentleman boys and girls of the wind orchestra and brass band from the picturesque small town of Kirchheim, in Schwaben. Friday evening saw evening rehearsal in great hall of the castle in Kirchheim. This is a truly magnificent historic building with an immense acoustic for euphonium! The carved wooden ceiling is a protected historic piece of history and is simply breathtaking to view. Look at this link for more details: www.zedernsaal.de/eng/cedar_hall.html
The next morning, Steve gave a two hour class for all musicians from the town and many euphonium players from all over Germany, who also stayed on for a two hour low brass class in the afternoon and a masterclass/rehearsal with the brass band (formed from members of the symphonic wind orchestra).Quite a day. The atmosphere was superb all weekend and everyone learned a lot and had a great time with Steve.
A capacity audience was enthralled with the Sunday afternoon concert and standing ovations for soloist and band showed how much they enjoyed the music in the superb surroundings of the castle in Kirchheim. Thanks to Jorge Seggelke and all the band and visiting musicians for a beautiful weekend.


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Minneapolis, nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City", is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States. Its name is attributed to the city's first schoolteacher, who combined mni, the Dakota word for water, and polis, the Greek word for city. As of the 2010 Census, the population of the city of Minneapolis is 382,578. Minneapolis lies on both banks of the Mississippi River, just north of the river's confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Saint Paul, the state's capital. Known as the Twin Cities, Minneapolis-Saint Paul is the 16th-largest metropolitan area in the U.S., with approximately 3.3 million residents. The city is abundantly rich in water, with over twenty lakes and wetlands, the Mississippi river, creeks and waterfalls, many connected by parkways in the Chain of Lakes and the Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway. Among cities of similar densities, Minneapolis has the most dedicated parkland. It was once the world's flour milling capital and a hub for timber, and today is the primary business center between Chicago and Seattle, with Minneapolis proper containing the fifth highest concentration of Fortune 500 companies. It has cultural organizations that draw creative people and audiences to the city for theater, visual art, writing, and music. The community's diverse population has a long tradition of charitable support through progressive public social programs and VOLAGs, as well as private and corporate philanthropy.
"On a recent trip to an auto show Minneapolis, we ran across a group of older gentlemen who really became interested in what we do for a living. The appraisal industry and appraisers in general are really an unseen area of the industry...always needed, but mostly secluded. The process of going over these vehicles with a fine-tooth-comb was not lost on these men as they had seen the great depresion years first-hand. One man told how his father had purchased a truck for his business only to find that the seller had added things to the oil and other fluids to hide sounds of damage. Several days after the purchase, the truck broke down, and without the truck the business was lost.
We had a great time with this group of men and actually landed a fleet contract from them as we had no clue they were rather well-off business men just enjoying the show. The cruise in the ZR1 Corvette later that evening was especially nice. Over cigars and great drinks we talked about the experiences over the years and were complimented on taking our time with what appeared to be just a group of 'old guys' asking questions. They really rewarded our normal way of handling the day to day: treating everyone like they are our number one customer."
Here at Pinnacle we want our customers to feel that they understand the value and processes involved. We take our time to make sure you understand the value of your vehicle, the issues we find we explain, and we take the time to offer advice: it's what we do at Pinnacle Auto Appraisers. Everywhere we go we tend to make really good friends out of our customers and generally pickup new clients through word-of-mouth: it's time to call and let us do the same for you.
We bring our expertise and experience to the table for large corporations as well as the little guy. Whether you are a group of buddies enjoying a car show, a fleet manager ready to dissolve and create a new fleet, a gearhead building a custom rally car, or a corporate purchasing agent looking for appraisals: We can help value what you own.
If you live in Minneapolis, Minnesota or in the surrounding areas we offer certified auto appraisals on classic cars, fleet vehicles, lease turn-in, total loss, diminished value, stated value, pre-purchase inspections, charitable donations, motorcycles, recreational vehicles and more! Please contact us today for more information.
San Antonio, Boerne, New Braunfels, Universal City, San Marcos, Comfort, Hollywood Park, Northcliff, Scenic Oaks, Seguin, Alamo Heights


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April 29, 2013
Philosophy professor presents 'Theater, Dance, Performance and Time' in London
James Hamilton, professor of philosophy, presented a paper titled "Theater, Dance, Performance and Time" today to the department of dance at the University of Roehampton, London, U.K.
The paper explores the temporal dimensions of audience understandings of performances using Bayesian learning theory to model audience perceptions.
A central feature of any artistic performance — and most non-artistic performances as well — is that they have duration, they occur in time. This import of this simple fact for the study of the reception of the content of a theater or dance performance has not been well understood by philosophers or performance theorists, and, in many cases, not even acknowledged. In his presentation, Hamilton suggested a way of taking the temporal dimensions of these forms into account in a plausible story about the acquisition of the contents of performances.
The key thing is to see that spectators do not only experience a performance in time, but also reason about it in time. To account not only for spectators' experiences but also their reasoning, Hamilton makes two suggestions: The first is simply to treat spectators at these kinds of events as learners who are attempting to discern the causal structure that leads them to the experiences they have. The second is to think of the mechanism by which that discernment is exercised, in time, as adequately modeled using Bayesian learning theory.


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Ball pythons require secure, well-ventilated cages. A glass aquarium with a secure ventilated top (screen wire or perforated metal) makes a satisfactory cage. Most adults could live out their lives quite happily in an enclosure the approximate size of a 20-gallon long aquarium. Pythons do well on aspen bedding or newspaper substrate. Clean water should be available at all times in a glass or ceramic bowl. A ball python will eat mice its entire life. One appropriately sized mouse per week is an adequate feeding schedule. Older and larger snakes may eat two or three mice, or one small rat a week. Ball pythons seem to do best if kept in the mid-80s Fahrenheit. It is good if the cage has a temperature gradient with one side warmer than the other. Ball pythons can better tolerate temperature extremes if they do not have food in their stomachs.
Grasslands and savannahs.
The species occurs in sub-Saharan central Africa, and can be found from Senegal, Guinea Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia on the west coast, east to southern Chad and Uganda.
Scientific Name: Python regius
Species Group: python
Family: Pythonidae
Size: Males can average around 3 feet, while females can get up to about 5 feet.
Level: beginner
Dangerous: No


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Form | Book |
Author | Cohen, Alissa |
Cover | Soft |
Pages | 484 pp |
Raw Food for Everyone
Regular price
Shipping calculated at checkout.
Just as Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone took meatless cooking mainstream, here's the complete guide to raw cuisine. Connoisseurs of raw cuisine know how hearty and flavorful it can be; what began as an underground movement for health enthusiasts has moved to the culinary forefront. Now Alissa Cohen, one of the nation's top raw experts, presents a lavish array of recipes, a primer of preparation methods, and a comprehensive ingredient guide in Raw Food for Everyone. This all-inclusive book, with 300 unique recipes for meals and snacks-from nutritious smoothies and juices to you-won't-believe- they're-raw cheeses and ice creams to crackers and even pizza-proves that raw food is not just healthy and energizing, but also approachable, nourishing, and delicious. Writing for the beginner and the more seasoned raw food lover, Cohen takes raw food to the next level with her simple preparation techniques and inventive flavors. Raw Food for Everyone is the ultimate raw food resource and is destined to become a culinary classic.


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Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection (HIV) occurs when the virus invades cells in the immune system and uses them to make more HIV cells. HIV is a retrovirus, meaning it needs host cells to replicate. The host cells it uses are CD4, or helper T, cells, which initiate the body's response to infection. As HIV makes more copies of itself inside the disabled CD4 cells, eventually the immune system is overwhelmed and full-blown acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) results.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported the first few cases of HIV in 1981. A year later, the term "AIDS" was coined. Prior to more stringent blood safety measures and more sensitive tests, HIV from infected blood donors made its way into blood products. From the late 1970s to the mid-1980s, about half of all people with hemophilia became infected with HIV after using contaminated blood products. An estimated 90% of those with severe hemophilia were infected with HIV. Many developed AIDS and thousands died.
Safer Blood Products
There have been no transmissions of HIV through factor VIII or IX products in the US since 1987. That's when viral inactivation (viral killing) methods were first used to treat blood products. These methods include heat treatment, solvent-detergent cleansing and monoclonal purification.
HIV Transmission
The transmission, or spread, of HIV requires contact with a body fluid that contains infected cells or virus particles, including blood, semen, vaginal secretions, cerebrospinal fluid and breast milk. The virus is spread via:
- Injection or infusion of contaminated blood, such as with blood transfusions, the sharing of needles or an accidental prick from an HIV-contaminated needle.
- Sexual relations with an infected person, during which the mucous membranes lining the mouth, vagina or rectum are exposed to contaminated body fluids. It can also occur through artificial insemination.
- Transfer of the virus from an infected mother to a child before or during birth, or while breastfeeding, through the mother's milk.
Blood tests that measure antibodies to HIV are used to diagnose the disease. In July 2012, the FDA approved OraQuick® In-Home HIV Test, the first over-the-counter test. Patients swab their gums, then place the sample in a container. Results are given in about 40 minutes. Because false negatives and positives can occur, patients who suspect they may have HIV are encouraged to seek testing at a medical center.
Treatment for HIV consists of antiretroviral therapy (ART), combinations of drugs that inhibit the growth and replication of HIV at various stages of its life cycle. The goal of ART is to decrease the viral load, the number of HIV copies in the blood, to undetectable levels, meaning < 50 copies/milliliter (ml) of blood. ART is usually begun when the number of CD4 cells drops to 200-500 cells per cubic milliliter. A normal CD4 count is 600-1,200 cells/cubic ml.
From 2003-2013, more than 20 new drugs were approved to treat HIV. They include entry inhibitors, integrase inhibitors, nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs), nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) and protease inhibitors. ART drugs are prescribed in combinations of two or more from different classes to prevent HIV from developing resistance to single drugs. In 2013, the FDA approved Stribild™, the first agent containing four drugs, called quad therapy. A year later, in 2013, the FDA approved Tivicay® (dolutegravir), an integrase strand transfer inhibitor manufactured for ViiV Healthcare by GlaxoSmithKline. The drug inhibits integrase, an enzyme that HIV uses to integrate its viral DNA into the host's chromosome. It is taken with at least two other HIV medications. Tivicay is a daily pill that can be taken with or without food, and is well tolerated.
Patients with HIV are urged to stay on their medications to prevent the virus from growing exponentially. Because HIV can make billions of copies of itself daily, the cost of nonadherence to an HIV regimen is high. It can also lead to drug resistance, limiting a patient's ART choices.
Patients with HIV and hepatitis C (HCV) should be followed closely. Studies show that HCV can increase the risk of liver toxicity from HIV drugs.
Uninfected people should abstain from sex or engage only in safe (protected) sex.
- HIV-positive people should abstain from sex or have safe (protected) sex; avoid pregnancy and notify previous and prospective sexual partners.
- HIV-positive people should not give blood or donate organs
- Drug abusers should avoid sharing or reusing needles, and enter a drug treatment program.
- Medical and dental professionals should wear latex gloves, dental professionals should wear protective eyewear. All should properly use and dispose of hollow needles.
In 2012, the FDA approved the first preventive HIV Medication. Truvada®, an NRTI, was approved for use in people at risk of sexual transmission of HIV.
Copyright National Hemophilia Foundation


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From today, CERN will be taking bookings for visits of its underground facilities during the Open Days. From 9am to 8pm on 28 and 29 September 2013, members of the public will have a rare opportunity to visit one of CERN's underground sites. Two points of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), CERN's flagship accelerator, will be open to visitors, as will its four main experiments and the Super Proton Synchrotron (SPS), another underground accelerator.
As the capacity for underground visits is limited, access to the underground facilities will be by reservation only, and tickets must be obtained from the CERN Open Days website. For safety reasons, children aged 12 or under will not be admitted to the underground sites. Each person will be able to reserve up to four tickets, which will be valid for a specific day and timeslot. The tickets, which are free of charge, will be made available on the site progressively over a four-week period.
CERN operates state-of-the-art scientific instrumentation, particle accelerators and detectors, in the pursuit of fundamental knowledge about matter and the universe. Its largest accelerator, the LHC, is an underground ring measuring 27 kilometres in circumference that smashes tiny particles into each other. Their collisions are analysed by several detectors, including in particular four huge machines measuring tens of metres in height and length, packed with millions of sensors. The LHC is fed by a chain of accelerators, the last of which is the Super Proton Synchrotron, housed in an underground tunnel measuring 7 kilometres in circumference.
As well as the underground facilities, the public will be able to discover 35 other exciting sites where CERN's activities increase our knowledge, such as laboratories, the Computer Centre, accelerators and experiments accessible on the surface and technical facilities. Visitors will have the chance to meet scientists, engineers and technicians, who will explain the discoveries and technologies of the world's largest particle physics laboratory.
All visits and activities will be free of charge.
In view of the large number of visitors expected, certain roads will be closed to traffic. No parking for the general public will be available on the CERN sites, so visitors are strongly recommended to use public transport and the shuttle-bus service provided for the event. These shuttle buses, for which there will be no charge, will make regular trips between the external car parks and the CERN visit sites. Each visitor will be entitled to a free ticket for one return trip to the Open Days, valid on all public transport within the Unireso Tout Genève zone, courtesy of our partner for the event Transport Publics Genevois (Geneva's public transport system).
To reserve tickets for the underground visits and for practical information concerning all aspects of the Open Days, please consult the Open Days website.
Journalists wishing to attend the Open Days are invited to contact the CERN Press Office.


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Prevalent in Stamford: Companies like I-95 location to set their flag
By: Richard Lee
Companies have advertised their products and services on billboards along America's roadsides for as long as people can remember, and they have proudly posted their names atop their headquarters buildings, but now placing a corporate name on a building where a company is renting space can be a key factor when negotiating a lease with a landlord.
When a company is considering locating an operation in a building along Interstate 95, particularly in Stamford, naming rights is often a topic of conversation.
The highway, one of the busiest in the nation, provides a great opportunity for a company to put its name out in front of consumers or potential corporate clients.
"You can see the visual impact it has. The impression is being made," said Gerald Cavallo, Ph.D., associate professor of marketing at Fairfield University. "It identifies a building and is a marketing billboard for people who pass by."
It also demonstrates to a passerby the company's commitment to the community and could be an employee recruiting tool, he said.
Legg Mason, Elizabeth Arden, Thomson Reuters and Ernst & Young all have their names emblazoned on the dark glass walls of First Stamford Place, a sprawling three-building 780,000-square-foot office complex on the south side of I-95. The signs pop out at motorists and are impossible to miss.
Jeffrey Newman, senior vice president of Empire State Realty Trust, owner of First Stamford Place, would not go into detail about the financial arrangements involving naming rights, but he said that space is reserved for well-known tenants that are leasing a large amount of space.
Negotiating naming rights was important in consummating leases with all four companies, he said.
"We bring it up in our marketing, and often the tenant or its broker may bring it up," Newman said. "It's an opportunity for a prospective tenant to impress and market their brands. It's negotiated on a case-by-case basis."
Thomson Reuters, a long-time tenant, also negotiated to place a sign atop Empire State Realty Trust's Metro Center near the Stamford Transportation Center.
"For us, the first time I recall (a sign placement) was for Thomson Reuters -- they were still known as Thomson -- more than 10 years ago, " said Newman, commenting that Empire State Realty Trust, formerly Malkin Properties, works with tenants on the size of the size, its illumination, design and other factors.
It's a pride thing
Having a sign proclaiming the presence of a company at one of Stamford's leading office complexes is important in several ways, said Francine Gingras, a spokeswoman for Florida-based Elizabeth Arden, which has 180 full-time employees in Stamford.
"Our people take great pride in seeing the sign and knowing that they are a part of it. Their families and friends see it. This is one of America's great names," she said. "It's a very strategic location. It's a great place to have your name on a building. It's a constant reminder that this iconic American company is alive and well."
A short distance to the east of First Stamford Place on the north side of I-95, the names of six corporations greet motorists as they drive past Stamford Plaza, a 990,000-square-foot, four-building office complex owned and operated by RFR Realty. Tronox, Icon International, Wiggin and Dana, Berkley Insurance, Digitas and Noble Group are all major tenants.
To qualify for a brushed-chrome sign on Stamford Plaza, a company must occupy at least one full floor, and the sign must meet RFR's standards, said Margaret Carlson, portfolio director of RFR's Stamford portfolio.
"We prefer uniformity with the signs," Carlson said, adding that potential tenants want to locate near I-95 with an identifying sign. "We believe it's one of the reasons why tenants locate to Stamford Plaza. Icon was the first about four years ago. Every deal is different."
When Tronox, a producer of titanium ore and titanium dioxide, was eyeing Stamford Plaza in 2012, it realized that the building was an ideal location for placement of its company name.
Conversation starter
"The Tronox sign was something that we asked for as part of our lease/build-out package," said company spokesman Bud Grebey. "Our lease includes language that grants us the non-exclusive right to install and operate a sign that is consistent with RFR's standards for similar signage along the south side of the building."
The sign is a conversation starter, he said, and it helps in competing with other companies for employees.
"People might not know what Tronox does, but they say that they have seen our sign. It's a great opener to tell people about the company and the work we do," Grebey said. "Tronox is a public company, traded on the New York Stock Exchange, so having our company name visible to thousands of potential investors and analysts who travel past it each day is a plus."
The sign also helps foster pride of association among Tronox's 71 full-time and contractor employees and the community, according to Grebey.
But a sign on the building was not a deal-breaker, he said, commenting that the location and its proximity to the Stamford Transportation Center and I-95 were most important, as well as RFR's willingness to build out a floor plan and meet long-term needs of Tronox, which is leasing 27,000 square feet.
First Stamford Place and Stamford Plaza are the best examples of signage rights in the region, said John Hannigan, a principal in Choyce Peterson, a Stamford commercial real estate broker.
Landlords often use signage rights as a way to attract large tenants, he said, adding that the size of the leased space, length of the lease and credit worthiness of the tenant are all factors that building owners weigh before allowing installation of a sign.
Secondary offering
"Generally, the cost of the sign is the tenant's expense," Hannigan said, but a landlord might not charge for the signage rights. "It's on a building-by-building basis. If it's a prominent name, then it helps the landlord to attract other tenants. It (signage rights) is not something landlords are leading with. It's a secondary offering."
Name recognition is essential for any company, and having a sign on a building along I-95 is often coveted by businesses, according to Josh Moritz, senior vice president of Creative Partners, a Stamford-based advertising agency.
"Given that billboards go for between $2,000 and $10,000 per month along some highways, your company name on the side of your office building is like getting free rent on a small mansion on Martha's Vineyard," he said. "With this perfect storm of long lease, high exposure and lots of frequency against the same captive audience crawling by your name day after day, you could sell corn to Iowa, pigs to New Jersey and the Red Sox to Yankee fans."
I-95 isn't the only place to put your name, either, Moritz said.
"Even on a side street in places like Stamford, Westport or Darien, putting your company name on a building for five years will build invaluable good will and exposure for the price of the lease," Moritz said.
Bridgeport, Norwalk
While Stamford has been a leader in the signage rights trend, other cities like Bridgeport and Norwalk also count landlords with major tenants that have signs to mark the presence of their offices.
The Bank of America's time-and-temperature sign atop 10 Middle St., in Bridgeport, has become a landmark for I-95 motorists, said Ernest Trefz, senior partner of the Trefz Corp., owner of the building.
"People set their clocks by it. It's helpful for travelers," he said.
Bank of America inherited its lease for the property in its merger with Fleet, said BOA spokeswoman Jennifer Darwin.
"It is a highly visible location, and we are pleased to have the opportunity to post signage there," she said.
FactSet, a market analytics and financial content provider to the financial services industry, came to the Merritt 7 complex in Norwalk in 2002 and occupies nearly 200,000 square feet in buildings 501 and 601.
"They signed a long-term lease and were granted a signage lease (for Building 601). You can see it from the Merritt Parkway and Route 7," said JoAnn McGrath, director of leasing at the 1.4-million-square-foot complex managed by Marcus Partners.
"I think it's an excellent opportunity for owner and tenant if you can get signage rights."


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As the likelihood of wintry weather increases, campus leaders would like to remind the community that the university's severe-weather policy encourages all employees to make a reasonable effort to report to work as scheduled.
In the event of severe weather:
• Campus officials will attempt to keep the university open for classes and maintain regular operations because most students live on or near campus.
• If operations are being maintained in a staff member's department, he or she should report to work or notify his or her supervisor if reasonable attempts to do so fail, according to the university's Standard Practice Guide on Emergency Closure and Emergency Operations Reduction, SPG 201.27.
• Students, faculty and staff members who live a distance away are asked to make every reasonable effort to get to campus so that essential services can be maintained. At the same time they are advised to use good judgment about the risks of travel.
• U-M employees are expected to take vacation time or Paid Time Off if they miss work. Staff members also may elect time off without pay.
If the university declares an emergency closing, SPG 201.27, states: During the first two days of an emergency closure or reduction, pay and benefits will continue for regular faculty and staff. Regular staff who are required or approved and do report to work during an emergency closure or operations reduction will, in addition to their regular compensation, have added to their vacation accrual an amount of time equal to the hours actually worked. Regular staff members who work beyond their normal schedule will be paid in accordance with the university's overtime policy (SPG 201.38). Pay issues are determined after the impact of the storm is assessed.
In the event severe weather begins after staff members are at work, it is up to the department to determine whether employees may leave early.
For U-M Heath System employees:
• During an emergency closing for the university, only areas of the Health System that are considered "noncritical" will shut down. Hospitals, certain clinical facilities, public safety, transportation, food services, Plant Operations and some research labs are considered critical services, and staff members are expected to make every effort to report to work. UMHS employees should call their supervisors if they are unable to report to work or are delayed.
• UMHS faculty and staff should refer to the Severe Weather Plan for detailed information. Go to www.med.umich.edu/i/safety/Plans/severeweatherplan.htm from any Health System computer (or computer logged into the UMHS Virtual Private Network) to see the plan.
Additional information about UMHS weather policies and procedures can be found at the Health System Headlines website.
Staff members represented by a union should consult their appropriate collective bargaining agreement for severe weather procedures.


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I have seen various combinations of interjections (or "grunt words", as they are sometimes called) used in fictional dialogue, such as:
uh huh (which I take for a yes)
uh uh (for no)
nuh uh (also saw that once for no, but I'm not even sure nuh is even a word)
whereas a standalone "huh?" usually means the person doesn't understand something.
Are these commonly associated with the meanings I have assumed (either in American English, or elsewhere)? Are there others I have missed?
Are they really appropriate to use in dialogue? What effect does having them (or not) have?


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Create a Website Account - Manage notification subscriptions, save form progress and more.
Show All Answers
We have multiple ways to contact a department. If you know who you need to contact, you may find them in the staff directory. If you aren't sure who to contact, but you know the general department which might be able to help you, fill out an online form in the Citizen Feedback portal. You can always call us at City Hall, by calling (410) 228-4020, and we will do our best to direct you to the appropriate person.
We are glad you are interested in joining the team. Each job opening may have different requirements, but you can check available positions on our Job Opportunities page. Click on each job, and follow the instructions.
One of the exciting features of ChooseCambridge.com is the Notify Me option for any kind of news or alerts you might want to receive.
Check out all of the available choices in the Notify Me page. When you find something you'd like to be notified about, you have the option of receiving a text message or email.
For instance, if you would like to receive new meeting agendas or minutes, go to Notify Me, scroll down to the Agenda Center, and select all of the agendas you'd like to receive. The icons to the left of each option enable email or text message options.
Continuing to fine-tune ChooseCambridge.com will be an ongoing process, and we want your help. If you see mistakes, or find errors, you can email them to email@example.com, or call us at City Hall, (410) 228-4020.
Serious errors will be corrected as soon as possible, and others might get corrected within a few days. We appreciate your patience as staff works to get things right.
We'd also like to know if there is something we can do to make the site easier for you to use. It may require us to work with the developer on a solution, but we plan on making periodic revisions and new releases of ChooseCambridge.com throughout the year. Don't worry - the changes will enhance your experience, and not effect the way you interact with the site.
We prefer to talk to you in person, so that your information can be represented more thoroughly. We also accept complaints by telephone or letter. You should include your contact information, as we will need to contact you. In some cases such as a formal complaint, it will be necessary that we speak to you in person. This meeting can take place at the Cambridge Police Department, your home, or other location.
If you choose, you can meet with the affected employee's immediate supervisor or Division Commander to air your concerns.
Yes. We will not investigate anonymous complaints.
Complaints should be filed as soon as possible as delays could harm an investigation due to the passage of time. If you have a brutality complaint, your complaint must be filed and notarized within 90 days.
Once an investigation is concluded all persons who file a complaint will be notified of the results of the investigation.
Yes, but you need to be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
The Chief of Police is interested in hearing from the citizens of Cambridge regarding his employees, regardless of the nature - commendation or complaint. The Cambridge Police Department accepts and thoroughly investigates complaints on the part of its personnel: Officers, Dispatchers or civilian employees. The Cambridge Police Department Complaint Against Personnel Report can be obtained at the Cambridge Police Department.
A Cambridge Police Department Supervisor or the Internal Affairs Unit will investigate your complaint.
No. Complaints Against Personnel are considered confidential in nature and are not released to any press or media.
Yes. The employee has a right to know who made a complaint against him or her.
No. It is essential that we maintain the public's confidence in order to continue the high standards that the Police Department has set.


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Posts tagged 'Pinacothèque museum'
- Flight on March 17th, 2013
I started Chez Mana to open a conversation between people through art.
Chez Mana connects people to unique events that bring together an extraordinary blend of social and artistic expression in settings that are both elegant and convivial. These micro events are rich yet intimate, allowing the audience to see performers, artists, and leaders, in order to engage with them.
Chez Mana also represents individual artists who do not reside in the United States and connects them with the public here.
In some countries, the freedom to express one's individuality is greatly restricted. The talented artists living under such conditions cannot share their works with the public. Giving a voice to these artists is another goal of Chez Mana .
Copyright © 2024 Chez Mana. Titan Theme by The Theme Foundry.


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How Does Fat Leave Your Body When You Lose Weight?
By Allen Smith
The Basics of Weight Management
- As the old saying goes, "calories in, calories out." And so it is with managing your weight. For the majority of the 191 million American adults who are obese, struggling with their weight is a daily occurrence. In 2008, overweight men and women spent more than $109 million on the grapefruit, Atkins, South Beach, cabbage soup and hundreds of other fad diets in an effort to lose extra fat. Some work, some don't. But what happens to all that fat when you lose it?
Scientists and exercise physiologists will tell you that the most basic unit of energy is the calorie or, more accurately, the "kilo-calorie," abbreviated as Kcal. Kilo-calories are units of heat and can either store or produce energy. One pound of fat is equal to 3,500 Kcal. So, in order to lose 1 pound of fat, you must either eat fewer calories or find a way to burn 3,500 Kcal with physical activity. The best approach is to do both.How Fat Is Stored
- When you eat food, it is broken down in the stomach and intestinal tract into fat, carbohydrate and protein. If you live an active lifestyle, most of the calories from the food you eat will be burned before it has a chance to be stored. If you lead a sedentary lifestyle, any calories that aren't burned will be stored, mostly in the form of fat.
What Happens to the Fat
- Some of the fuel you use for maintaining normal body functions and for exercise comes from two ready sources: glucose and triglycerides. Both circulate in the blood, so they are easily available as fuel sources, even though they are in relatively short supply. More abundant supplies are found in the liver and stored fat cells.
If the demands of your activity are greater than what circulating fat and glucose can supply, your body will need to dip into the stored energy in the liver and fat cells. Hormones in the body activate an enzyme called lipase that tells the fat cells to release triglycerides. The triglycerides are broken down into glycerol and free fatty acids and enter the bloodstream. The liver recycles the glycerol, and the muscles use the free fatty acids for energy. When the free fatty acids are consumed by working muscles and other tissues, they are converted to heat, water, carbon dioxide and adenosine triphosphate, or ATP. Your body releases heat through your skin, water as you sweat and carbon dioxide as you breathe; it converts the energy in the bonds of ATP into energy your body can use.


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Proudly serving Livonia since 1994
XFER Communications is your trusted local provider of Microsoft Office 365 backup and archiving services Livonia, MI area. When you partner with us, you will get the expert help your business deserves from a local partner. Contact us today to discuss our Microsoft Office 365 backup and archiving services that will keep your company's valuable data safe.
Office 365 backups and archiving services
You run your business like it's a sports car, sleek and responsive. No bloat allowed. You embrace cloud applications to save money and, more importantly, time. By embracing technical transformations, you can devote more time to growing your business and taking care of your customers.
As a Microsoft Office 365 customer, you take full advantage of hosted email, SharePoint Online and OneDrive. This allows your employees to collaborate efficiently and be productive from any device, anywhere in the world, a feature that can't be taken for granted as remote work becomes more prevalent daily.
Reliable backup services
It's a common misconception that Microsoft is backing up the data stored in your Office 365 subscription. The exact numbers aren't clear, but Microsoft has stated that there are currently 200 million active monthly users of the 365 platform. Backing up all that data would be nearly impossible from a profitability perspective.
Microsoft offers geo-redundancy, which in lay terms means its datacenters are replicated across the globe. Deleted items are typically recoverable for 30 days, which doesn't consider malicious deletion, malware, ransomware or data loss due to system failure on their part. This is particularly concerning for business owners like you, who must also contend with regulatory compliance. Other concerns include no single pane of glass to restore data across the Office 365 environment.
That's why it's vital to enlist the assistance of a Microsoft Office 365 backup and archiving services provider.
Customized solutions
To achieve the peace of mind that comes with the same level of control over your cloud data that you have over the rest of your business, you need a comprehensive cloud-data archiving solution. We are here to help.
Our Microsoft cloud experts will meet with you to fully understand your Microsoft Office 365 implementation as well as your business goals. We will design a solution that reliably, efficiently and cost-effectively backs up your data. If your company has regulatory compliance either currently or in the future, we can ensure you meet and exceed all of the requirements regarding cloud data. Our backup service solution will provide:
- Indefinite data storage. You decide what to keep and how long to keep it, and we provide the solution that makes that happen.
- Version control. You retain multiple copies of documents for much longer and can choose the version of any document to restore.
- Automation. You can set it and forget it with our solution.
- Folder hierarchy preservation. Save time when looking for the file or directory to restore.
- Backup frequency. We can back up your data at a frequency that works for you.
- Flexible data storage. We can back up to other cloud providers and even on-premises for additional recovery options.
- Granular control. We provide backups for only the data you need, not an entire directory.
Your data is a vital component of your business. Let the support team at XFER Communications, your local Microsoft Office 365 backup and archiving services provider in Livonia, MI area, assist you with the backup and recovery of your most precious asset. Contact us today for a free consultation.


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Federal & State Holiday. On Federal Holidays, classes scheduled on Military Bases and labs associated with Military-Base classes will not meet. On State Holidays and recesses, classes scheduled at other facilities will not meet.
Event Sponsor
Academic Affairs, Honolulu Campus
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Tuesday, November 8 | |
All day |
Election Day (State Holiday)
Honolulu Campus, 874 Dillingham Blvd. |


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Insulin "handshake" may do away with injections
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The team, whose findings appeared in Nature, solved the puzzle of how the hormone insulin binds to its receptor in cells - a process necessary for cells to take up sugar from the blood and essential for treating diabetes.
"All of that (previous) work has taken place without a detailed picture of how insulin actually interacts with the cell and tells that cell to take up glucose from the blood," leading scientist Mike Lawrence, at Australia's Walter and Eliza Hall Institute in Melbourne, told Reuters.
"What we've done is providing that picture," he said of the three-dimensional view of insulin bound to its receptor that appeared in Nature on Thursday.
Researchers found that insulin engages its receptor in a very unusual way, with both insulin and its receptor rearranging themselves as they interact.
"A piece of insulin folds out and key pieces within the receptor move to engage the insulin hormone," Lawrence said in a statement. "You might call it a 'molecular handshake'."
Insulin controls the levels of glucose, or sugar, in the blood, a mechanism that breaks down in people with diabetes.
Understanding the insulin binding process could lead to new ways to deliver insulin other than by injection, or the development of more effective and longer-lasting insulin products, Lawrence said.
"This structure is going to be a reference point for all future design of insulin," he said.
"They (drug makers) are going to use that information...for the next generation of insulin delivery devices, etc."
There are now 371 million people living with diabetes globally, up from 366 million a year ago, according to the latest report by the International Diabetes Federation.
(Reporting By Maggie Lu Yueyang, editing by Elaine Lies)


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The Glock 19 is a legendary gun. And rightly so. Its simplicity, reliability, corrosion resistance, magazine capacity and accuracy have assured its place in the Firearms Hall of Fame (and duty holsters across the world). Personally, I'm not a Glock guy. Despite my best efforts to let the Austrian pistol woo me with its minimalism, I've never felt that "love connection." The first time (and every time) I held a Glock, the ergonomics put me off. It's too big, it's too small; the trigger's too far, too weird . . . it just doesn't feel right. By extension, I developed an aversion to all polymer pistols. Until the day a friend introduced me to a little Croatian sweetheart known as the HS2000; marketed to U.S. shooters as the Springfield Armory X-treme Duty 9x19mm or XD-9.
At first glance, the original XD bears a strong resemblance to its Austrian counterpart [Glock on top]. The Springfield is another polymer-frame, striker-fired (Remember: A striker-style pistol is neither single- nor double-action), short recoil operated pistol with a trigger safety and a rail on the 4-inch barrel to facilitate the mounting of tactical doodads. Closer examination reveals that the Springfield Armory XD-9 has taken the design to infinity — and back.
The XD-9 incorporates a grip safety, a steel recoil-spring guide and (for us southpaws) ambidextrous magazine-release controls. Unlike the Glock, the XD includes a loaded-chamber indicator and a cocking indicator; safety features allow the operator can ascertain the weapon's readiness either visually or by feel.
The XD-9 also features front and rear cocking serrations on the slide. There's generous texturing on the front, sides and back strap of the grip for more positive control under-less-than-ideal (i.e. oh shit) conditions.
Springfield's dovetailed the three-dot sights securely into the front and rear of the slide. Their visibility is nothing more than merely adequate. Anyone thinking of packing the XD-9 as a daily concealed-carry gun should strongly consider adding a set of aftermarket fiber optic or tritium night sights.
Our test XD-9's sights were regulated for a 6 o' clock hold on the target, rather than the point-of-aim/point-of-impact I prefer. Straight from the factory, the weapon had a tendency to shoot to the right. I corrected the problem easily enough with a minor drifting adjustment of the front sight.
Early entries from XD series lacked the corrosion-resistant melonite finish sported by current models. Although the gun was unlikely to turn into a slide-shaped pile of rust atop the frame if exposed to a humid environment, you can't have enough reliability.
Even so, at the risk of alienating the Glock faithful, arguing over the relative reliability of the Glock and a Springfield is besides the point. The real test is how the weapon feels in the hand. If a shooter is comfortable with a gun, he'll handle and shoot it with confidence. Which is the key to success is most aspects of shooting.
This is where the XD-9 earned my admiration and, yes, affection.
For me, the Springfield XD-9's grip angle provides a much more natural point of aim than its Austrian cousin. I always felt I had to accomodate the Glock to get on target. With the XD-9, it's more of a partnership. The XD feels as though it's meeting me halfway. I get most of the work done, it finishes the job.
A simple test to determine how well a new pistol works with your natural point of aim: Pick a spot on the wall and close your eyes. Aim the unloaded pistol at the spot. Open your eyes. If your sights line up to your chosen spot, a fair idea whether the ergonomics of the pistol are working with you, or against you.
With the Springfield XD-9, I'm nearly spot on.
As a striker-fired pistol, the XD's trigger is extremely consistent, as is the reset. There's plenty of take-up. But the trigger never feels squishy or gritty. The trigger pull is smooth enough to achieve minute-of-bad-guy accuracy even under pressure.
Mag changes are quick and easy, thanks to the drop-free stainless-steel double-column magazines and responsive ambidextrous magazine-release controls. Loading the magazines to their full capacity of 16 rounds requires strong thumbs and an occasional extra firm tap to the base of the mag to ensure it's fully seated.(Newer models come with a magazine loader.)
The 4-inch duty model XD-9 is surprisingly handy while still being large enough to provide a solid and controllable platform for launching 16+1 rounds of reassurance before reloading. Muzzle flip is negligible. Unlike its larger caliber counterparts, the flip doesn't become more pronounced as the magazine is emptied. Reloaders are warned: The XD-9 tends to deposit the empty brass in a decidedly random pattern rather than a neat little pile at your feet.
Accuracy is perfectly acceptable at normal defensive handgun ranges and most likely even at extended distances with enough practice. In other words, this is another one of those guns where the gun is more accurate than the shooter.
In the roughly 450 rounds I've put through the XD, I've encountered zero failures to extract or feed-way stoppages. The two or three malfunctions that I experienced were a direct result of not seating the magazine fully with a firm tap. That's what I'd call fairly reliable — though the next 10,000 rounds will be the real test. The vast majority of the ammo fired was Winchester NATO 9mm 124gr. FMJ with around 50 rounds of Federal Hydra-shok 147gr. jacketed hollowpoint ammo. The semiautomatic XD-9 shows no particular preference or aversion to any type of ammo.
The XD-9 really shines after the event. To field strip the weapon for cleaning, just drop the magazine, lock the slide back, rotate the takedown lever at the front of the slide upward 90 degrees, and then gently return the slide into battery on an empty chamber. Point the XD in a safe direction, pull the trigger and move the slide forward off the frame. Disassembly from there is a piece of cake.
Not everyone would be better off with an XD than a Glock. Some hands prefer the Glock's grip, and some shooters feel better just knowing they're holding a Glock (not to mention the company's rep for sterling customer service). Fair enough. But if you're looking for an affordable, high-quality polymer-framed 9mm and [literally] can't get behind the Glock, the Springfield XD-9 never leaves you with the feeling you're settling for less. Because you're not.
SPECIFICATIONS: (Editor's Note: These specs are for the current model of the XD 4″ FULL SIZE SERVICE MODEL 9MM)
CALIBER: 9mm
RECOIL SYSTEM: Dual Spring w/ Full Length Guide Rod
SIGHTS: Dovetail Front and Rear (Steel) 3-Dot
WEIGHT: 28 ozs.
SLIDE: Forged Steel, Melonite Finish
BARREL LENGTH: 4″ Hammer Forged, Steel, Melonite/1:10 Twist
FRAME: Black Polymer
MAGAZINES: 2 16-round magazines, Stainless Steel
Style * * *
The XD-9 borrows heavily from Gaston Glock's innovative approach, but incorporates enough of its own innovation to avoid clone status.
Ergonomics * * * *
From grip angle to the controls, this pistol works well with left or right-handed shooters
Reliability * * * *
Reliability exceeded my expectations.
Customize This * * * * *
Night sights would be a bit of alright, laser sights are an interesting option and there are plenty of flashlights available.
Overall Rating * * * *
Utilitarianism has its own charms.
More from The Truth About Guns:
Gun Review: Springfield Armory XD Mod.2 Service Model (4″ 9mm)
Gun Review: Springfield Armory XD Mod.2 9mm Sub-Compact
Gun Review: Beretta APX Carry 9mm Pistol
Today's Best 9mm Self-Defense Ammo
New From Springfield Armory: XD-S Mod.2 .45ACP
New From Springfield Armory: Threaded .45 ACP and 9mm XD(M)s


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Wildlife - Deer News
Answering Questions About Guns, Ammo, and Man's Best Friend
by Charles Ruth
Wildlife Biologist
Deer/Turkey Project Supervisor
ABSTRACT: Harvest of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) through regulated hunting is the most important tool available to deer resource managers. As wildlife professionals, we are often looked upon as outlets for information concerning not only biological concepts, but hunting in general. The hunting community can pose unique questions and in some instances, hunting related information is not supported by data. The purpose of this study was to attempt to answer questions most often posed by sportsmen. We attempted to determine; the importance of a trained dog in locating dead and wounded deer, the distance deer traveled when shot, the effects of shot placement, and differences in the effectiveness of various firearms and ammunition. Statistical significance was based on a probability level of P = 0.05.
We determined that on this study site, the mean distance of shots taken at deer was 132 yards and that there was a significant difference between shots that resulted in a deer (127 yds.) and those resulting in a miss (150 yds.). Overall it required 603 shots to harvest 493 deer resulting in 81.7 percent shooting success. There was no difference in shooting success with respect to antlered (81% ) or antlerless deer (83% ). Approximately 50 percent of the 493 deer ran when shot and the mean distance traveled was 62 yards. Antlered and antlerless deer traveled the same distances.
Of the 221 deer that ran when shot and were located dead, 61 left no discernable sign in the vicinity of the shot. An additional 19 deer were wounded by the shot. Using a trained dog expedited the process of recovering these 240 deer.
Deer were assigned to 3 groups depending on how difficult they were to recover. There were significant differences in the distances deer ran depending on whether they would be recovered; (a) easily (46 yds.), (b) with some difficulty (85 yds), or (ac) not recovered without the aid of a dog (147 yds). Overall, a trained dog increased the harvest approximately 20 percent at this site because it almost totally eliminated unrecovered dead deer and crippling loss. We determined that deer shot in the shoulder ran significantly shorted distances (3 yds.) than those shot in the heart (39 yds.), lungs (50 yds.), and abdomen (69 yds.). There were no significant differences in the efficiency of weapons when grouped by caliber. However, deer ran significantly less frequently (42%), less distance (27 yds.) and left sign more often (88%) when struck with soft type bullets than when struck with hard style bullets (60%,43 yds., and 81%).
Harvest of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) through regulated hunting is perhaps the most important tool available to deer resource managers. As wildlife professionals, we are often looked upon as outlets for information concerning not only biological concepts, but hunting in general. The hunting community can pose unique questions and in some instances, hunting related information is not supported by data. The purpose of this study was to attempt to answer questions often posed by sportsmen. We attempted to determine; the importance of a trained dog in recovering deer, how deer react versus shot placement, and differences in the effectiveness of various firearms and ammunition.
Objective to determine
- Importance of trained dog in recovering deer
- How deer react vs. shot placement
- Differences in firearms and ammunition
Study Area
Data for this study was collected at the Cedar Knoll Club which is a private hunting club located in the coastal plain of South Carolina. Although Cedar Knoll is a private club it has cooperated in a number of University sponsored white-tailed deer research projects since the late 1980s. The area is typical of the coastal plain of South Carolina with the majority of the area being in some form of intensive timber management. Due to timber management, habitats can best be characterized as being exceptional for deer and for the purposes of this study it cannot be over emphasized how thick habitat components are. An intensive deer management program has been in place since about 1984 and includes various techniques like burning, mowing and fertilization of native vegetation, plantings and direct supplemental feeding.
Study Area
- Coastal plain of South Carolina
- 4,500 acre private hunt club
- Intensively managed
Essentially, the bulk of the data for this study was hunt type data. Still hunting was the method employed and hunts were conducted in the morning and evening. Hunters were placed in elevated permanent stands based on wind direction and recent use by deer. All stands were equipped with seats and rails to improve safety and facilitate marksmanship. Deer were harvested with scoped center-fire rifles. After each hunt, participants were picked up at the stand. If a deer was shot and it did not leave the hunters sight, it was removed to the club for processing. If the deer left the hunters sight after the shot, a trained dog was used to determine if it had been hit and to attempt to recover the animal. For this study all shots at deer were recorded as was an estimate of the range of the shot. The distance the deer traveled and the type or amount of sign was noted. Information concerning the recovery or attempted recover of all deer was recorded as was the involvement of a trail dog. If the deer was recovered it was assigned to one of four categories describing how difficult the animal was to recover. Other data included the caliber of rifle and type of ammunition. Shot placement was determined for all harvested deer when they were processed.
Data Collected
- Number and distance of shots
- Trail dog necessary
- Deer hit, yes or no
- How far did deer travel
- Deer recovered, yes or no
- Weapon and bullet characteristics
As it relates to recovering deer, please keep in mind that there are a number of factors that potentially enter into the likelihood of recovery. Habitat type is one of the key elements affecting how easy recovering deer will be. This particular study area is characterized as being exceptional deer habitat on the basis that most of the land use was in intensive timber management. Southeastern habitats that are under intensively forest management typically are very dense in the under story especially early in the rotation, therefore visibility and accessibility can be greatly limited. Second, we must consider that the times during the day when deer normally present themselves to the hunter are not times that offer good visibility. Most deer in this study were taken around sunup or sundown. Finally, wildlife openings or food plots tend to be long and narrow. All of these factors combine and lend themselves to situations in which hunters can have trouble determining exactly were a deer was standing and the direction it traveled.
Shot placement
As it relates to recovering deer, please keep in mind that
- Habitat type affects recovery
- Deer are often shot in poor light
- It can be difficult for hunters to determine where the deer was standing and the direction it traveled. Particularly on long, narrow roads or food plots.
Results and Discussion
A total of 493 deer were harvested during the study including 305 antlered deer and 188 antlerless deer. Hunters fired 603 shots to harvest these deer and were therefore, about 82 percent successful with their shooting. There was no statistical difference between shooting percentage depending on the sex of the deer. We feel that this is a pretty good shooting percentage considering the variable experience levels that the hunters had.
Shooting Percentage
Deer type | # Deer | Shots | Percent |
Antlered | 305 |
375 |
81.3 |
Antlerless | 188 |
227 |
82.8 |
Total | 493 |
603 |
81.7 |
The mean distance of all shots taken at deer was 132 yards. For shots that resulted in a deer the average was 127 yards. On the other hand, shots that were unsuccessful had a range of 150 yards, significantly further than the distance of successful shots. Intuitively you would assume that marksmanship suffers with increased distance to the target, however, who would have expected a statistical breakpoint between roughly 125 and 150 yards.
How far were shots?
- Average distance of all shots = 132 yards
- Shots resulting in a deer = 127 yards
- Shots resulting in a missed deer = 150 yards
- Significant difference in distance "deer vs. missed deer"
Of the 493 deer that were harvested, 51 percent dropped when shot and 49 percent ran. If there is no consideration given to shot placement, it would appear that how deer reacted was largely random on this study area.
How did deer react?
- A total of 493 deer were taken.
- 253 deer dropped in tracks, 51%.
- 240 deer ran when shot, 49%.
- If shot placement is ignored, how deer react is a coin toss.
Recovering Deer
Using a trained dog to assist in the recover of deer is a technique that has gained in popularity in recent years. Recovering deer in the traditional sense can be inefficient when conditions such as darkness, rain, thick terrain or when wetlands or water bodies exist. Also, a trained dog can almost immediately determine whether a deer is hit which ultimately saves time attempting to recover something that is not there. For this study a dog was used anytime a shot was taken at a deer regardless of what the hunter thought or said about the shot.
We were able to estimate the importance of a dog in recovering deer by assigning each animal to one of 4 classes based on how difficult it was to recover. Certainly, assigning deer to these classes was subjective and depended largely on our experience. However, tangible considerations were important in this process and included the distance the deer traveled, the amount of sign where the deer was shot and the type of habitat that the deer entered after leaving the vicinity of the shot. Also, the general feeling from the hunter concerning where the deer was standing, the direction it traveled and their confidence level concerning the outcome.
Recovery data
- Class 1 – didn't leave sight, no dog required.
- Class 2 – ran short distance, left good sign.
- Class 3 – longer distance, poor/no sign, rough habitat.
- Class 4 – judged unrecoverable without dog, considering all factors: distance, sign, habitat.
If we look at the data in table form, it appears that assigning deer to the classes based on difficulty of recovery worked well. Note that dramatically fewer and fewer deer were assigned to the classes which represent the more difficult recoveries. Similarly, the average distance deer traveled varied between each class with deer traveling progressively and significantly further as recoveries became more difficult.
Recovering deer
Class | # Deer | Yards Traveled |
Class 1 | 253 |
<5 |
Class 2 | 155 |
46 |
Class 3 | 61 |
83 |
Class 4 | 24 |
152 |
If we keep the distance data in mind and look at the more subjective characteristics it seems that the Classes make pretty good sense. Deer that were assigned to Class 1 either did not run or did not leave the hunter's sight, therefore, a dog was not necessary. Obviously, anyone would recover deer assigned to this class. Deer that were assigned to Class 2 would have also been recovered very easily. These deer ran short distances, often into relatively open habitat and they left very good sign. The average hunter would have no trouble recovering Class 2 deer if an attempt was made.
Class 3 deer on the other hand, ran significantly longer distances than Class 2 deer and these deer left little or no evidence that they were hit particularly near the area where they were standing. Also, Class 3 deer generally entered thick terrain were visibility and access was restricted. The average hunter would get his buddies and struggle to locate Class 3 deer without a dog. It is our opinion that many Class 3 deer would not have been recovered without a dog, however they were assigned to Class 3 rather than Class 4 based on the criteria.
Class 4 deer were judged unrecoverable without the use of a dog. It turned out that only 24 deer were assigned to this class which represents about 5 percent of the animals harvested on the study area. Deer in this Class traveled significantly further than Class 1, 2, or 3 deer. There was no evidence that the deer was hit where it was standing and generally, any sign that was discovered before the deer was recovered was sign that was located by the dog. In addition to significantly longer distances, Class 4 deer traveled into extremely thick habitat that often included wetlands or water.
Importance of a trained dog in recovering dead deer
- Class 1 deer did not run or did not leave hunter's sight. Dog not necessary, anyone would recover deer.
- Class 2 deer ran short distances, left good sign and good visibility in habitat. If an attempt to recover deer was made it would have been located easily without a dog.
- Class 3 deer ran significantly further than Class 1 or Class 2 and left little or no evidence of hit. Trailing condition involved heavy cover, wetlands, etc. The average hunter would get a friend and struggle to recover deer without a dog.
- Class 4 deer were judged to be unrecoverable without use of a dog. These 24 deer traveled significantly further than Class 1, 2 & 3 deer. If sign was found it was always well away from the scene and typically this sign was found by the dog. Recovery involved extremely thick habitat, wetlands, water, etc.
Thus far we have discussed the characteristics of recovering deer that were found dead. However, during this study an additional 19 deer that were not dead but had been wounded by the shot were recovered using a trained dog. Deer that were still alive typically had suffered a wound to one or more of its legs, a wound to the lower most abdomen or flank or some other significant wound did not involve major organ systems. As with Class 3 and 4 deer, these deer traveled into extremely thick habitats that often involved wetlands or water. Normally the dog located the deer bedded in dense cover. In some cases the dog would bay the deer which would allow us to determine where the deer was and we would be able to work our way to the location and dispatch the animal. In other cases, the deer would run after being located by the dog and travel some distance before bedding again. This process was repeated until the deer would hold at bay allowing us to determine were it was, traverse to the location and dispatch the deer. Distance determination was not possible for these deer because they traveled too far and erratically.
Overall we feel that a trained dog accounted for 15-20 percent of the deer harvest during this study. This can be determined by recognizing that the dog was responsible for many of the 61 Class 3 deer that left little or no evidence of being hit, all 24 of the Class 4 deer that were determined to be unrecoverable without a dog, and 19 deer that were still alive and had been wounded by the shot. Also, by using a dog every time a shot was fired, the efficiency in recovering deer and differentiating deer that are hit from those that are not was greatly increased.
Importance of a trained dog in recovering live deer
- An additional 19 live/wounded deer were recovered using a dog.
- These deer suffered wounds to various body parts including legs, mandible, lower abdomen, etc.
- Thick terrain, wetlands and/or water involved in recovery.
- Deer traveled too far and erratic routes for distance determination.
What about unrecovered deer?
There were 15 unrecovered deer:
- Superficial wounds
- In many cases this was determined only by the reaction of the dog.
- Dog trailed an average of 297 yards.
Importance of a trained dog in recovering deer - bottom line.
- Dog accounted for many of the 61 Class 3 deer, all 24 Class 4 deer and all 19 live/wounded deer.
- This represents approximately 75 -100 of the 493 deer harvested on the property, i.e. 15 –20%.
Shot Placement
In this study we were also interested in documenting the importance of shot placement because this is often a point of debate among sportsmen. We have already seen that deer run nearly 50 percent of the time when they are mortally wounded. Certainly, shot placement is the most important factor related to how deer react after being shot. Several types of trauma can lead to the rapid death of an animal that is struck by a bullet. Significant trauma to the central nervous system, the respiratory system or the circulatory system will all prove effective.
For the purposes of this study, bullet placement consisted of neck, spine shoulder, heart, lungs and abdomen. Since animals that were hit in the extremities or hit superficially were still alive they were eliminated from this particular analysis in favor of more traditional bullet placement locations. In this study deer shot in the neck and spine were immediately rendered immobile and succumbed quickly. Deer that were shot broadside in the shoulder ran a mean distance of 3 yards while animals hit in the heart, lungs or abdomen traveled 39, 50 and 69 yards respectfully.
So what shot placement is the best. Neck shots worked well in this study, but they can be problematic because the target area is very small and there is a risk of wounding associated with the target. Potential problems include a shot to the esophagus or mandible. Also, spine shots can be ruled out as a recommenced shot because few shots are consciously directed at the spine. In other words, most spine shots result from shots that miss their mark high and incidentally hit the spine.
Based on the data collected in this study we feel that the best shot placement for deer is the broadside shot directed at the shoulder. Traveling an average of only 3 yards, deer shot in the shoulder traveled significantly less distance than deer shot in the heart, lungs, or abdomen. Also, with such a short distance of travel, deer shot squarely in the shoulder did not generally leave the hunter's sight. In this study, the broadside shoulder shot essentially gave results similar to what most hunters expect from a neck shot. Presumably the broadside shoulder shot works well because it strikes part of the heart and or lungs which itself is a mortal blow. However, a shot through the scapula damages the brachial plexus which is part of the central nervous system thereby rendering the animal immobile. It knocks the animal out and it never regains consciousness. Also, the shoulder is a very large target offering room for error; a high shot hits the spine, a low shot the heart and a shot to the rear hits the lungs.
Effects of shot placement
Shot Location | # Deer | Yards Traveled |
Neck | 25 |
<1 |
Spine | 27 |
<1 |
Shoulder | 170 |
3 |
Heart | 14 |
39 |
Lungs | 152 |
50 |
Abdomen | 58 |
69 |
Firearms and Ammunition
Hunters are often very opinionated with respect to firearms and ammunition and similarly, there are many misconceptions related to the subject. It is still common for hunters to place more emphasis on their firearms and ammunition than on shot placement. The old saying "I use this magnum because you can hit them in the butt and blow their head off' is still common. Also apparent are skeptical remarks implying that smaller caliber center-fire firearms are less effective and result in deer running further and increased crippling rates.
During this study there were in excess of 20 different center-fire cartridges used to harvest deer. To reduce variability the various cartridges were group by their respective caliber. This resulted in the delineation of 5 caliber groups; .243 cal., .25 cal., .270 cal., .284 cal., and .30 cal.
In order to gain some objective measure of how these calibers performed on deer, we looked at the distance deer traveled. This included all animals regardless of whether they died in their tracks or ran. We found no significant difference in the performance of these caliber groups when comparing how deer reacted. Mean distances deer traveled varied between 14 and 40 yards but there was no apparent relationship with increasing or decreasing caliber size or the inherent differences in velocity or energy that is related to the different caliber groups.
Firearms and ammunition
Caliber | # Deer | Yards Traveled |
.243 (6mm) | 48 |
40 |
.25 | 36 |
14 |
.270 | 84 |
31 |
.284 | 160 |
26 |
.30 | 116 |
33 |
Custom versus Factory
Recently there has been an increasing interest among hunters related to custom firearms and the super accurate shooting that accompanies these weapons. Questions often arise concerning potential differences between factory made and custom made equipment. Since we recorded the type of firearm and ammunition, we were able to check for differences between factory made and custom made firearms. Once again, the distance deer traveled was used as the determining factor and there was no statistical difference between custom and factory firearms. Regardless of the weapons make, deer traveled about 30 yards.
Firearms and ammunition - Factory rifles vs. custom rifles
Make | # Deer | Yards Traveled |
Factory | 164 |
29 |
Custom | 169 |
29 |
The final question that we addressed in this study dealt with differences in the performance of different bullet types. With the popularity of hand loading and super accurate shooting sportsmen often debate the merits of different bullet types. For the purposes of this study and because there are so many different bullet types, we placed bullets into 2 categories. Group 1 consisted of softer type bullets. In other words, bullets that are designed to rapidly expand on impact. Bullets falling into that group included ballistic tips, bronze points or any other soft point bullet that is of the appropriate weight for the caliber, for southeastern sized deer. For example, a 150 grain ballistic tip bullet in a .30 caliber rather than a 200 grain bullet in the same caliber. Group 2 bullets were just the opposite and included some of the premium types of ammunition loaded with controlled expansion bullets including Partitions, Grand Slams, Barnes X, and various types of solids. Also, bullets that are generally accepted as being too heavy for southeastern sized deer were placed in this group. For example, a 200 grain bullet in a .30 caliber weapon is generally considered too much for southeastern deer. Overall, Group I bullets could be characterized as being explosive on impact, where as Group 2 bullets were controlled in the manner they expand.
Firearms and ammunition - Bullet types
- Group 1 – Rapidly expanding bullets such as Ballistic Tips, bronze points, etc. Any soft point bullet of appropriate weight for a particular caliber for southeastern deer.
- Group 2 – Harder or more controlled expansion bullets such as Partitions, Grand Slams, Barnes X, etc. Any bullet that is heavier for a particular caliber than is generally recommended for southeastern deer.
Again, using the distance that deer traveled as a measure of performance we found that deer struck with the more explosive type bullets traveled a mean distance of about 27 yards while those struck with hard or heavy bullets traveled an average of approximately 43 yards. This represents a significant difference with deer struck by hard bullets traveling further. The second method of monitoring bullet performance dealt with the percentage of deer that were dropped in their tracks by the respective bullet groups. Again, explosive type bullets significantly outperformed the hard/heavy bullets with 58 percent knock downs compared to 40 percent. Finally, and more subjectively, we looked at the percentage of deer that ran and left poor sign. Again we found a significant difference between the two groups indicating that deer struck with more expanding type bullets left poor sign only about 12 percent of the time compared to over 21 percent for the hard/heavy group.
Firearms and ammunition - Bullet type results
Type | # Deer | Yards traveled | % Dropped | % Poor sign |
Soft | 360 |
27 |
58% |
12% |
Hard | 84 |
43 |
49% |
21% |
- Shooting percentages about 82%.
- The farther the shot, the lower the chance of getting the deer.
- Deer ran about 62 yards on average.
- Shot placement is determining factor. All things considered, broadside shoulder shot worked best compared to others.
- About 50:50, deer run vs. deer don't run.
- Trained dog expedited recovery of all deer that ran.
- Dog very important in recovering 61 deer that left poor/no sign, 24 deer judged unrecoverable, and 19 live/wounded deer.
- Dog accounted for approximately 15 – 20% of total harvest on hunting area, i.e. 75 – 100 deer.
- No difference in effectiveness of various calibers.
- No difference between factory vs. custom firearms.
- Significant difference between bullet types. This study indicates that rapidly expanding bullets lead to deer running less often and less distance and when they run they leave better sign.
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